


Different Kinds of Courage

by suffolkgirl



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Future Fic, Post-Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:26:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25116115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suffolkgirl/pseuds/suffolkgirl
Summary: Laura and Hera like to hear stories about the heroes who died to bring them to Earth.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Different Kinds of Courage

Laura and Hera like to ask their fathers to tell them stories. 

Stories from the time before their people reached Earth, before Laura was born, before Hera can clearly remember. 

Stories of the heroes who sacrificed their lives to bring them here.

One day, they ask Laura’s father to tell them the story of Laura’s namesake, the prophesied dying leader who found Kobol and pointed the way to Earth. 

A few sentences in, someone comes running to say two boys who went to herd the goats haven’t returned, so Laura’s father heads out to find them, and it’s Hera’s father who finishes the story.

Another day, they ask Laura’s father to tell them the story of Starbuck, the angel who came back from the dead long enough to show them the last steps of the way to Earth. 

A few sentences in, someone comes running to say that a fight has broken out in the village, so Laura’s father hurries off to restore peace, and it’s Hera’s father who finishes the story.

Another day, they ask Laura’s father to tell them the story of the Admiral, who held the fleet together against all threats and all odds, protecting them all until they could reach Earth. 

A few sentences in, someone comes running to say that the dam has broken, so Laura’s father rushes off to fix it, and...Hera’s father is away hunting today.

So they turn to Hera’s mother, and ask her to finish the story.

Hera’s mother smiles, watching Laura’s father as he hurries towards the river.

“You’ve heard that story often enough, girls. Maybe I should tell you a different one.” She pauses, shading her eyes with her hand. “Has it ever occurred to you that all the heroes in the stories your fathers tell you are dead?”

It hasn’t. Laura and Hera stare at her.

“That’s why they’re heroes,” Hera says finally. “Because they died to save us.”

Hera’s mother looks amused. “That’s one way to be a hero, but it’s not the only one.” She tucks her hair - still black, with none of the grey hairs their fathers have - behind her ear.

“I’m not saying it doesn’t take courage to sacrifice yourself. To give up your life so that the people you love can find a new home and have a future. But there’s another kind of courage that’s just as hard.”

“What’s that?” asks Laura.

Hera’s mother smiles, but her eyes are dark and sad.

“The courage to keep on living. The courage to build that new home, and shape that future. The courage to grow, to nurture, to love. The courage to make sure that the heroes who gave up their lives didn’t die in vain. The courage of being the one left behind.”

She stares at the receding figure of Laura’s father, just on the edge of sight, and smiles again.

“Let me tell you the story of a hero who lived. Let me tell you the story of Apollo.”


End file.
